To Diagon Alley

The next day, Roy slept until nearly eleven before getting up.

He slowly climbed out of bed, rubbed his bleary eyes, and checked the clock. It was almost lunchtime already.

"I got up a little late. Might as well go eat at the Leaky Cauldron."

Roy took out the small pouch Dumbledore had given him yesterday from his wardrobe and poured out all the gold Galleons inside. There were ten in total.

After putting away all the Galleons, Roy changed into his signature green trousers and jacket, put on the simple chest rig and backpack he had made himself, then packed several pieces of junk he had picked up and repaired earlier. After checking his gear, Roy set off for Charing Cross Road.

Diagon Alley was located in central London, and Wool's Orphanage was quite a distance away. Roy planned to take the Underground, but before that, he made a trip to the recycling shop two blocks from the orphanage.

At noon, there were hardly any customers in the shop. The owner, Richard, was lying in a rocking chair behind the counter with his eyes closed. Roy pushed open the door, entered the shop, and walked up to the counter.

A draft swept through the room, and Roy's voice rang out. "Wake up. It's me."

Richard opened his eyes, saw the familiar short green figure before him, then sat up and rolled his shoulders. He spoke to Roy in a lazy tone.

"You again. Looks like our little inventor has come to sell something."

Roy took out the items he had repaired and placed them on the table. As he did so, he spoke to Richard.

"I'm going to a boarding school far away this autumn. I'm selling all of this to you. I need a hundred pounds. I'm short on money lately."

Richard lit a cigarette and put it between the lips hidden behind his thick beard. He glanced at the things Roy had brought out, then directly handed him two hundred pounds.

"Going to school is good—only school can get you out of that shithole called the slums. Don't waste this chance and end up like me."

Roy put away the money and prepared to leave. Before going, he teased Richard.

"You think you're doing badly? I've never seen anyone haggle the price upward. Oh, and for the sake of your old life, stop making weapons for gangs. You know what I mean."

Roy left with a cheeky grin. Richard kept the cigarette in his mouth and began inspecting the junk Roy had sold him.

"Smart little brat. Hmph—his workmanship isn't bad. Looks like I still took advantage of him with two hundred."

After inspecting the goods Roy had sold him and doing the math, Richard realized they would sell for far more than two hundred pounds. Especially that mechanical watch that looked quite valuable—selling it for three hundred would not even be expensive. Only professional watchmakers could repair such complicated mechanical watches. Richard had no idea where Roy had learned his skills.

"I hope you study hard. I don't want to watch you rot away in the slums too."

The London Underground was steeped in history. It was the oldest subway system in the world. Since first opening in 1863, it had undergone countless renovations over more than a hundred years.

After sitting for half an hour in the empty, musty-smelling carriage, Roy arrived at Charing Cross Road once more.

Standing on the street, Roy watched the crowds flowing through central London. Not a single person noticed the pub whose style and signboard clashed so completely with its surroundings. He could not help marveling at the wonders of magic.

When he entered the pub, it was lunchtime, and quite a few people were eating inside. The owner, Tom, was standing behind the bar, busy serving customers.

Roy sat down at the bar. Once Tom had finished what he was doing, Roy took the initiative to greet him.

"Hi, Boss Tom. Business is pretty good, huh?"

Only then did Tom notice the short green figure seated at the bar. After recognizing Roy, who had been with Dumbledore yesterday, he walked over and asked in confusion why Roy was here.

"I came to look around Diagon Alley and pick up some books to read. Oh, and I haven't had lunch yet. Got anything tasty for me to try? Don't worry, I have money. Do you take pounds or Galleons?"

Roy took out a Galleon and placed it on the bar. Tom turned around and brought him a serving of sausage and mashed potatoes.

Several thick pork sausages were served with smooth mashed potatoes, rich with the scent of oil. Paired with an ice-cold Butterbeer, Roy dug in with gusto.

It had to be said that the food at the Leaky Cauldron was far more substantial than the orphanage's meals. Roy had not eaten this comfortably in a long time.

Tom stood there watching Roy eat heartily. Several times, he seemed to want to say something, only to swallow it back. In the end, he could not hold it in any longer and asked Roy about Dumbledore.

"Well, uh, I asked Professor Dumbledore too. I'm actually just an ordinary orphan. Professor Dumbledore pitied me and said I reminded him of one of his former students, so he decided to bring me to Diagon Alley himself. By the way, Boss Tom, your food is really good. It tastes much better than the stewed beans at our orphanage."

Roy's answer was simple. Tom did not ask anything further. No matter how foolish he was, he could not believe Dumbledore would personally take an orphan shopping in Diagon Alley just because he pitied him. What kind of wizard was Dumbledore? Still, since Dumbledore was unwilling to reveal anything, Tom could not pry. After Roy finished eating, he silently cleared away Roy's dishes.

"I should charge you eight Sickles, but since it's your first time here, it's on me." Tom handed the Galleon Roy had placed on the table back to him.

"That's too kind of you." Even so, Roy took the Galleon back. The Galleon rolled between his fingers before Roy tossed it upward, caught it in his fist, then opened his hand. The Galleon he had just clenched was gone.

"An interesting trick." Tom gave his assessment after watching Roy's performance.

"I'm actually better at card tricks. I'll show you one next time. Still, thanks, Boss Tom."

Full and satisfied, Roy bid Tom farewell with a grin. Now that he had finally learned how to enter Diagon Alley, Roy patted his stomach and walked out of the Leaky Cauldron.

"Let's see, three bricks above the rubbish bin, then two across."

Roy took out his wand and lightly tapped an unremarkable brick. In an instant, the wall began to shake violently before sliding apart to either side. The familiar streetscape of Diagon Alley appeared before him once more.

This time, Dumbledore was not with him, and he had plenty of time. He could finally explore the magical world properly.

"Remember the mission objective: search, engage, secure it, and withdraw."

His excitement at exploring the magical world made Roy mutter to himself.

"I'm going treasure hunting. Who's in favor, and who's against?"